Cops: Drunk man shoots friend in leg inside Ohio bowling alley

Monday

Stark County Sheriff’s deputies say a northwest Canton, Ohio, man was intoxicated in a bowling alley when he accidentally shot his friend in the leg late Friday night.

The intoxicated man then threw the gun in a trash bin outside the building, Stark County Jail records show.

Deputies arrested Spencer A. Norman-Webler, 23, of 1200 Broad Ave. NW, at 11:45 p.m., booking him into the jail on charges of felony evidence tampering, illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor establishment, using weapons while intoxicated, negligent assault and discharge of a firearm on or near a prohibited premises.

Norman-Webler had a concealed-carry permit when he went into the bowling alley, according to Sgt. Mark Maskaluk of the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. Maskaluk said the permit would allow him to carry the weapon into the facility, but not to drink alcohol.

Deputies believe Norman-Webler was at the Strike Zone Lanes, 1222 Whipple Ave. NW, with a small group of friends. He was seated at a table in the bowling alley with a friend when he stood. As he adjusted the holstered gun, it fired, hitting his friend in the leg, Maskaluk said.

The victim was taken to an area hospital, and Norman-Webler was taken to jail.

Norman-Webler remained in the jail Saturday, held in lieu of $26,000 bond pending a Canton Municipal Court hearing.

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